TV Upfronts: Armchair Programmer Series - NBC

Part 5 of the Armchair Programmer series will try to figure out how to fix NBC. Over the last couple of years, the Peacock has become a running joke, and it looks like the 2011-2012 will end up being another bust since most of its new shows didn't resonate with the general public. While I don't think NBC will wipe the slate clean, I can see a lot of changes on the horizon.

Officially Renewed NBC Shows
Grimm
Smash

Officially Canceled NBC Shows
Chuck
Free Agents
The Playboy Club
Prime Suspect

Possibly Renewed NBC Shows
30 Rock
The Apprentice
Betty White's Off Their Rockers
The Biggest Loser
Community
Dateline NBC
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
The Office
Parenthood
Parks and Recreation
The Sing-Off
The Voice

Possibly Canceled NBC Shows
Are You There, Chelsea?
Awake
Bent
Best Friends Forever
Escape Routes
Fashion Star
The Firm
Harry's Law
Rock Center with Brian Williams
Up All Night
Whitney
Who's Still Standing?

Comedy Pilots
1600 Penn
Animal Kingdom
Downwardly Mobile
The Farm
Friday Night Dinner
Go On
Guys With Kids
Isabel
Ladyfriends
The New Normal
Next Caller Please
Save Me
Susan 313
Table for Three
Untitled Hilary Winston Pilot

Drama Pilots
Bad Girls
Beautiful People
Chicago Fire
County
Do No Harm
The Frontier
Hannibal
Midnight Sun
Mockingbird Lane
Notorious
Revolution

One last time, it's hard to anticipate which pilots will be picked up (except for Go On and Hannibal), but history and brand could give us an idea. NBC's bread and butter has been workplace comedies, and it needs a show to take over once The Office is dead and gone. It should be Parks and Recreation, but NBC's never really shown it much love. From the looks of it, the Peacock might be looking at Friends alum, Matthew Perry, to save the network, but we'll have to wait and see. Out of the crop of comedy pilots, I could see the following go to series (aside from Go On): Downwardly Mobile, The Farm, Go On, The New Normal, Next Caller Please and the Untitled Hilary Winston Pilot. As for dramas, I have no idea because NBC's lacked an identity since it got rid of all of the Law & Orders. I'll go with (in addition to Hannibal): Bad Girls, Chicago Fire, County, The Frontier, Mockingbird Lane, Notorious and Revolution. Regardless of which direction NBC takes, it's probably still doomed because this set of pilots seem very lackluster.

Possible NBC Shows for 2012-2013
30 Rock
The Apprentice
Bad Girls
Betty White's Off Their Rockers
The Biggest Loser
Chicago Fire
Community
County
Dateline NBC
Downwardly Mobile
The Farm
The Frontier
Go On
Hannibal
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Mockingbird Lane
The New Normal
Next Caller Please
Notorious
The Office
Parenthood
Parks and Recreation
Revolution
The Sing-Off
The Voice
Untitled Hilary Winston Pilot

Possible 2012-2013 NBC Schedule
Sundays
8-9p: Football/Mockingbird Lane
9-11p: Football/The Apprentice

Honestly, I have no idea why NBC would go with a Munsters reboot, so I don't know what to do with it, but it seems like Mockingbird Lane could be NBC's answer to Once Upon a Time.

Mondays
8-10p: The Voice
10-11p: Smash

I cannot see NBC going with full seasons of both The Voice and Smash, but who knows what they're capable of. Moving them to the fall could be a good move since it can keep building off what little buzz the shows still have, but bringing them back for the winter/spring could be a disaster. I just don't know what they'd replace them with.

Tuesdays
8-10p: The Biggest Loser
10-11p: Parenthood

Tuesdays could be NBC's most stable night with the combination of The Biggest Loser and Parenthood. I'm not sure if Season 3 of The Voice will also have an extra night, but it could easily be sandwiched in at the 9 o'clock hour if needed.

Wednesdays
8-8:30p: Community
8:30-9p: The New Normal
9-10p: Bad Girls
10-11p: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

If NBC brings back Community, it cannot keep it on Thursday nights, and since they've already tried out a Wednesday night block, it makes sense to have it kick off the night. I also wouldn't be surprised if NBC jumped on the Ryan Murphy bandwagon even if it is going of the rails which is why I can see it picking up his show with Ali Adler. Bad Girls sounds awful enough to be right in NBC's wheelhouse, so don't be shocked if it's sent to series.

Thursdays
8-8:30p: 30 Rock
8:30-9p: Parks and Recreation
9-9:30p: The Office
9:30-10p: Go On
10-11p: County/Chicago Fire

Even though NBC needs to make some drastic changes, I don't seem them getting rid of theirThursday night comedy block, but this could be a very transitional year because I don't see The Office or 30 Rock getting more than one more season. Hopefully, Go On will be successful and can become the foundation of the line-up along with Parks and Rec. The combination of County and Chicago Fire could work by recreating the mystique of the ER days.

Fridays
8-9p: Revolution
9-10p: Grimm
10-11p: Dateline NBC

Who would've thought that Grimm would be one of the few NBC shows to survive? Since it's been somewhat successful on Friday nights, there's no reason to move it. Revolution is a sci-fi series created by Eric Kripke (Supernatural) and EPed by J.J. Abrams, so it just screams Friday. Although putting it up against Alcatraz, Fringe or Supernatural could be problematic.

Mid-Season: Betty White's Off Their Rockers, Downwardly Mobile, The Farm, The Frontier, Hannibal, Mockingbird Lane, Next Caller Please, Notorious, The Sing-Off, Untitled Hilary Winston Pilot.

So there you have it; my thoughts on the major network's developmental slate and where they could go next season. As always, there are just my predictions and shouldn't be taken as fact unless I'm right. Quick reminder, the network upfront presentation dates are:

May 14, 2012 - NBC and FOX
May 15, 2012 - ABC
May 16, 2012 - CBS
May 17, 2012 - The CW

Thanks for putting up with my crazy ideas, and let me know what your thoughts are in the comments.